Brother
by NaturallyBroken
Summary: This takes place post-Avengers movie so yeah spoilers. Thor and Loki return to Asgard, taking a final walk together. Not sure how to categorize this, really only "soft" angst.


_A/N I've been very nervous to write Thor or Loki because I was afraid I couldn't get their voices down. This story is my first attempt. Also Thor may seem a bit OOC but it's where I think his head is at that moment. Let me know what you think. _

After a goodbye to his new allies, his fellow Avengers, Thor, with Loki bound and in tow, traveled back to Asguard. They arrived in the throne room, empty except for Frigga and Odin, who began his verbal assault on Loki the moment they materialized. Thor felt it was unnecessary, Loki had already been defeated by the Avengers, watched his armies destroyed, had his freedom taken away, and his magic neutered. Odin's words, if they reached Loki at all, would merely be salt in the wounds. Despite all that Loki had done, it still pained Thor to see him hurt.

Thor stood patiently, rigidly at Loki's side through the whole lecture, his face blank except for an occasional pleading glance at Frigga, silently begging her to quiet his father's ranting. She surely must care for Loki still, he thought. But she held her tongue, looking off into space as if she were in any realm but here. In the end Odin finally just ran out of words. Loki's head never bowed, his eyes never closed or looked away from his adopted father. Thor was silently proud because deep inside he believed his father was partially to blame for the God of Mischief's actions.

Thor insisted on being the one to escort Loki to his cell.

"There is no need. You have completed your task."

"My task is not completed until Loki is in his cell."

Odin dismisses him with a wave of his hand, "As you wish. We have much to speak of later."

Thor turned and escorted Loki out of the throne room and toward the cells. He noticed after a while that they had come across no one in their walk. Was that his father orders or was everyone that afraid of Loki, he thought.

"Brother." Loki stopped and glared at Thor because there wasn't much more he could do. Thor just gently pushed him to start walking again. "I don't care that we are not from the same womb, you will always be my brother. I wish this could have ended differently, that you would have never found it necessary to take such a foolhardy and malevolent path."

Thor notices his brother begin to shake, at first it's just a moment of shoulders but then it seems to take ahold of his whole body. He stumbles as he bends forward shaking almost violently. Thor is worried, has the weight of everything he has done, the punishment he now must serve finally hit upon his brother? Thor catches Loki before he falls, straightening him up.

"I'm sorry Brother, I didn't mean to pain..." Thor looks into Loki's sparkling eyes and notices the little creases forming at their sides. "You are laughing!" he pushes Loki against the wall. "How can you continue to laugh at your predicament? This isn't another game for the God of Mischief and Lies. The only lie is the one you keep telling yourself. That this is all something you can manipulate and deceive your way out of. But look at you now," Thor gestures down hallway they are in, "look where you are headed. Does this look like victory brother?"

Loki's silent laughter died down, he pushes away from Thor and continues down the hall, a few paces ahead of Thor. "I'm sorry I was so harsh with you Loki," Thor calls to him. "I guess each man reacts differently to his fate." They continue down the hall in silence, Loki walking ahead of Thor who makes no attempt to catch up.

"If truth be told Loki, I wish I could give you the crown." That stopped Loki in his tracks. He turned and glared at his brother.

"I'm not mocking you. Father sent me to earth to learn humility so I would replace him one day. I've learned that there is the difference between a great ruler and a great leader; I think I now prefer the later. Steve Rogers is a great leader; people follow him by choice, because they trust him, know he cares about them, and value their lives. I would prefer to be Rogers but I fear the throne will change me, that it will be so easy to become what I once was."

Thor puts a hand on Loki's shoulder, "But as much as I would like to give you what you desire, I know it would disaster. I see how easily the mere thought of power changed you from the brother I once knew. You would not just be a ruler, but a tyrant. No, succeeding father is my destiny, but the thought of ruling Asgard fills me with no great joy." Loki rolls his eyes and stomps off further down the hall.

At last they reached the cells. Four smaller closed cells were to the left and right of them. Straight ahead was a larger cell with the door open. Unconsciously slowing their pace they stop just outside of the barred door.

"I cannot go into the cell Loki, these last few steps you must take alone." Thor turned Loki toward him and pulls him into an embrace. Loki stiffens at the touch. "Know this brother, even though you may be in this cell alone a part of me, a part of my heart, will be imprisoned here as well. And if father decides to…I'll mourn you forever. That I promise." Loki sagged a little against Thor, dropping his head forward and closing his eyes. Thor held onto his brother for a little while longer than released Loki, taking a step back. Loki backed into the cell never opening his eyes or lifting his head. He only stops when he is stopped by the back wall. Thor looks away as he pushes the cell door cell and pulls against the handle to make sure it is locked. He turns and walks away without another word. He knows that his father will move Loki to a bigger more furnished cell when the proper magic suppression spells can be completed but he doesn't want to have this vision of Loki in his head ever. He plans to visit Loki in that gilded cage as much as possible but he knows that a part of him will never leave.

Loki doesn't open his eyes or raise his head until can't hear Thor's steps anymore. He looks up and surveys his new home. Its cold stone walls and floor, its iron barred door, no windows, only filtered light from outside the cell. This is only temporary, Loki tells himself. He sits down on a bench that is embedded into the wall and begins to shake again. Is if from laughter or tears? No one can see and the God of Mischief and Lies cannot tell.


End file.
